The United Kingdom classifies CBD as a medicine

After lengthy consideration, the UK has classified products containing cannabidiol (CBD) as medicines, and is now allowing these products to be sold in pharmacies. The MHRA had withdrawn all such products from the market last October.

On December 30, 2016, the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) acknowledged that the cannabidiol (CBD) could successfully treat certain serious illnesses. This declaration is followed by a marketing authorization for products containing CBD.  In October, the same agency totally suspended sales of these products. After 3 months of deliberation and consultation by the MHRA, manufacturers of CBD products will be able to benefit from a drug sales license. This decision follows two events:

• The success of CBD treatments distributed by GW Pharmaceuticals, such as the’Epidiolex on cases of epilepsy resistant to conventional treatments. This drug, distributed in the United States, is 98 % of CBD is particularly effective against Dravet or Lennox-Gastaut syndromes
• A mother's call to treat her epileptic daughter, who had to go to the black market to reduce her child's number of seizures: «They try to criminalize everything to do with cannabis, but we're talking about people who could die, when there's a solution to give them hope,» she told Skynews.

«Our sole aim is the patient's health».»

«It is our view that cannabidiol (CBD)-containing products used for medical purposes should be considered medicines,» said the MHRA spokesperson. «The MHRA will now work with companies and trade bodies with the aim of ensuring that CBD-containing products comply with the Medicines Regulations dating from 2012.» These CBD-containing products will have the same distribution, sales and advertising rights as other medicines. Patients will need authorization from their doctors to obtain CBD.

More and more British MPs are calling for reform of UK drug policy. In France, products containing cannabinoids are totally banned, although there is a more or less grey area around CBD. Anne Lise Lobstein, professor of pharmacognosy, denounced in our columns the problem with this ban. Patients buy their products on the web, without any medical indication, whereas the use of CBD requires precision in dosage for optimal effects.